Jets Head Coach Adam Gase on Denzel Mims Hamstring Injury: 'I Feel Like S--t for Him'

Denzel Mims was supposed to be an integral part of the New York Jets offense and his loss for Week 1 hurts head coach Adam Gase.

It appears that the New York Jets are going to be without rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims for the season opener at the Buffalo Bills and likely for longer than that. It is an injury that left head coach Adam Gase dejected and gutted.

Mims hurt his hamstring on Thursday in practice, drawing a quick end to his return to the field. Mims had returned to practice late last week after taking nearly a month to recover from another hamstring injury. Gase said that this injury was to the other leg that Mims hurt in training camp.

In talking about his rookie, Gase praised Mims for looking sharp in practice right before getting hurt. Now the rookie, who was expected to play a big role in the Jets offense this season, likely will be on the sidelines for the next few weeks and almost certainly is out for Sunday at the Bills.

“I feel like s--t him for him because I feel like he worked really hard to get back and for it to be the other hamstring…he was really excited to be out there,” Gase said on Friday in his virtual press conference.

“For it to happen yesterday, I hated seeing him go through that.”

Gase said that on Thursday, he was impressed with Mims in practice and saw flashes of the rookie’s potential in running routes. Then the injury hit which Gase said could land Mims on Injured Reserve (IR).

Mims was projected to be a starting wide receiver along with slot receiver Jamison Crowder and the speedy Breshad Perriman. He was the centerpiece of a revamped group of starting wide receivers.

The Jets had lacked playmakers on offense last year and Mims fit that role. With great length, a good catch radius and speed, Mims brought an exciting component at wide receiver that had been lacking on the Jets offense for years.

At Baylor, he had 66 catches for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior. The Jets took him in the second round of April’s NFL Draft.